Dark Luv
by Lou.D
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.
1. Prologue

**Dark Luv**

by

**Lou.D  
**

**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Prologue**

Magic is a mystery to most lay men. They don't know its secrets, and ways. To the naked eye, it is amazing, thrilling, but frightening. To the trained one, it is a portal to other worlds, other entities.

The common belief was the same throughout civilizations and lands. Mobs either feared, or were comfortable with magic users. As in Earthland and Edolas: two different worlds where the word 'magic' held a different meaning in each!

Since the events of Edolas, the Magic Council intensified secretly their magic research regarding the possibility of the existence of other worlds. The disappearance of the city of Magnolia was a waking call for them. There was always the possibility of establishing good relations with other worlds, and even making the time-space travel accessible to ERA. But, they also feared the worst: making contact with a evil world.

Unbeknownst to them, ERA was not the only body looking for magical ways to unlock new gates. A dark guild had been researching in the shadows. It was about to open a magical gate to a new world.

* * *

**_A/N _**

**I wanted to share a fantastic LoLu AMV with you. I've watched it many times myself, and I must say that it's the best LokexLucy AMV ever! It's perfect: the lyrics fit the LoLu story well :D**

**Please go to YouTube. Look for _Loki and lucy fairy tale_, by _sneakersrocksoutloud _or copy and paste the link: youtube _dot_ com _forward slash_ watch?v=UrDWeEQzTfw&feature=related**

**Enjoy my babies ;)**

**Lou.D**


	2. The fated ones

**Dark Luv**

by

**Lou.D  
**

**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Chapter 1**

It was another 'regular' day at the guild. The fairies were drinking, bellowing as usual. Natsu and Gray were at each other's necks, exchanging curses, and names, before they started fighting for the third time this morning! Juvia and Lisana were cheering for them. Mirajane was busy reading a paper. Cana who was drunk already was laughing hysterically at the fighting mages. Lucy who arrived a while ago was at the request board, holding Plue, looking for interesting jobs.

"Hmm, let's see if we can find a good paying job today, Plue!" The Canis Minor spirit "puuned". She skimmed through the requests. "Thieves arrest; escort job; female cosplayer needed! Ghost exorcism job", Lucy shuddered. She didn't like ghosts, even though she had contracts with many spirits! She resumed reading, trying to find a good job, but they weren't that interesting for her. She wasn't lucky today. She sighed, holding Plu, more to her generous bosom. "Well, it looks like we won't be setting out on any mission today, Plue!" The spirit "punned" again, agreeing! She sighed again looking at the board.

She noticed a brown piece of paper, sticking out from under another note. She put Plue down, and proceeded to remove the request. She read it:" mages needed to destroy a secret cult in Berucia. Award: 600,000.00 Jewels." "WHAT! 600,000.00!", Lucy shouted. Gray and Natsu stopped, looking at her. Everyone was looking at her. Lucy laughed nervously, embarrassed.

She hurried down to her team-mates. "Guys, look what I've found! It's a great job! And it pays 600 grand!", she informed them excitedly. The boys smiled broadly. "Good one Lucy! The right mission for our team", said Natsu, who was all fired up now. "Aye", chimed in Happy. Gray nodded. "We can do this one. We need to wait for Erza first. She should be back soon with Master Makarov". "Alright!", they shouted in unision.

Erza returned with the Master an hour later. Now sitting at a table, she listened to her comrades. The reward was interesting enough, and Berucia[1] was a nice city, far north, on the border with the Seven Kingdom[2]. She nodded, telling them to pack and get ready for the mission.

* * *

The following day, the four mages took the train. Their journey was comfortable enough. Natsu, however, was suffering as usual, from his motion sickness. "There, there Natsu", said Lucy, patting his head. The poor teenage was lying on the wooden seat, sweating and shivering. "We should've brought Wendy with us this time! She could've cast Troia on him", said Lucy, feeling sorry for her friend. Erza shook her head. "I know Lucy. But our mission this time is a difficult one. Wendy could get hurt!", she reasoned. "My thoughts exactly", added Gray. "Flame brain will have to lie there till we reach the city". Natsu mumbled quickly something incoherent. "hmfmmm". Gray smirked. "Did you say something, pinky punk?!" This time Natsu tried to move. He was about to retort, when a sudden wave of nausea hit him hard. "Eeek! Natsu, don't!", shrieked Lucy. But Erza came to her rescue: she hit the poor lad really hard that he fell unconscious. Gray tensed. _Scary woman! _He joined Lucy, leaving room to Erza and the unconscious Salamander. Erza sat down laying Natsu beside her. "There, good boy", she said satisfied! Her friends sweat dropped!

Looking back at her friends, the Titania continued crossing her arms: "This mission shouldn't take much time. We can take them down quickly, but we need to be careful!" her friends nodded again. Gray added: "It is not like any other mission we've taken before. Who is the client this time?" "Duke Zinovic of Berucia", she informed them. Lucy's mouth twitched upon hearing his title. "Another Duke! Please, don't tell me he is recruiting maids too!", she moaned. The two mages laughed. "I don't think so, Lucy. But if he is, I'll help you!", she reassured her, confident as usual. Lucy smiled. She hated dealing with another freaky perverted Duke. The thought solely made her sick.

But Lucy couldn't ignore one nagging thought though. Further, ever since accepting the mission, Lucy couldn't shake the bad feeling she was having. She looked at the Exceed who was curled in her lap, snoozing happily:"there is one thing that's been bothering me guys." Getting their attention, she went on "I've been having a bad feeling about this mission, ever since I left the guild yesterday. I don't know why, but it's making me nervous, really nervous!", she admitted, slowly. Erza's eye narrowed. Gray was fully facing her now. "I wouldn't worry, Lucy. We will work together and get the job done. Besides, you can always summon Loke. He is your strongest Celestial Spirit after all!", he explained, soothing her fears. Lucy nodded again. "Yes, you're right, Gray".

* * *

Inside the Cult's lair, two men were kneeling before what looked like a Priest. "Master", they both addressed the old man. "What news do you bring me, now? Speak!" His deep voice resonated in the dark room. The one to his right spoke:" The Shaman has seen the arrival of Fairy Tail. The request of the Duke has lured a team of four strong young mages this time. They are travelling to Berucia as we speak, Master!" The other one to his left spoke then:" the Shaman is restless. She has seen destruction and darkness, Master!" The Priest cursed under his breath. "And the portal?" he asked worriedly. "Will it be destroyed too?!" his lackeys exchanged quick glances between them, then nodded slowly, fearing his reaction. The priest bellowed madly: "cursed shall you be, Fairy Tail! I will not allow you to impede the Ritual, even if I have to sacrifice the whole Cult to the darkness! Remove the portal from its current place! Reinforce the magical barrier! They shouldn't be able to locate us! But if they do, we will be seeing the last of them!" He tapped his staff harshly on the floor. "We were fated to open the gate, and open it we shall do!" "Aye, sir", the lackeys, replied simultaneously.

* * *

The train finally reached its destination. The young mages stepped outside the train, waiting for Natsu who was still feeling queasy. The Salamander appeared finally, having at last gained his strength.

Shortly, they were approached by a well dressed man, followed by servants. "Fairy Tail, I presume?!", he asked, standing high and mighty before them. "We are!", replied Erza in her usual strong tone. "And you are?", she asked in return. "His Lordship messenger, my Lady." he bowed before straightening again. "May I see the contract?!", he demanded politely. Immediately, Erza retrieved the sealed contract from her bag. Upon seeing it, the messenger went on: "welcome to Berucia, mages of Fairy Tail. I have been assigned to escort you to the Manor. The Duke is expecting you. Please follow me", he informed them. "What about the luggage?!", asked Erza. "Fear not, my lady. Our servants will see to moving them to your new home. This way please!", he gestured with his hand. The four mages nodded, and followed him.

An elegant carriage was waiting for them outside the station. Doors were held open for them, as they stepped inside. The messenger was the last to step inside, as the door closed behind him. He tapped the roof with his adorned staff, and the carriage started.

The messenger glanced quickly at his escorts. He didn't expect to meet young ones. No matter, the Duke was ecstatic when he heard about them. They were known as the strongest mage team of Fiore: Miss Erza Scarlet, the Titania; Mr Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander; Mr Gray Fullbaster, the Ice Mage, and Miss Lucy Heartfilia, the Celestial Mage.

The messenger addressed them again: "we shall reach the manor in an hour's time. His lordship would like to discuss the request with you as soon as possible. In the meantime, I shall answer any questions that you might have". Not wasting any moment, Natsu was the first to jump in. "Well, how about telling us more about this cult?! It seems that no mage was able to defeat them, let alone get rid of them?!" The assistant replied:" indeed, sir! The Twins Cult as it goes by over here is a dark circle that has been causing us trouble for a year now. Their practices have rendered the green forest into a dead place. Villagers have deserted their homes fearing their curse. The Duke has been since then sending requests to the different guilds of Fiore, but none has succeeded so far. In fact, this is the first time Fairy Tail has answered our plea. His Lordship is jolly well content." He paused for a moment before adding "as for the second part of your question, sir. It'd seem that no mage has been able to locate their whereabouts yet! All mages who have tried before have failed miserably. We sincerely hope that Fairy Tail will succeed this time".

Lucy who has been quite all this time, asked finally. "Excuse me, sir. But, what do you mean by that?! "The messenger replied: "My lady, countless mages have always returned empty handedly. They claimed that they weren't able to attack it, that it disappeared before they were able to do anything. They even called it the ghostly cult!", he explained more, keeping a stoic face. "A ghostly cult?!", Lucy shivered. Gray glanced at Erza quickly. "So, you are you saying that the cult is impossible to strike?!", he asked. "Indeed. This is what we have gathered from the previous mages. We are hoping that you will succeed where the others have failed", he replied, seeking confirmation to which Erza was quicker to oblige. "Sir, you have sought the best mages in Fiore. We will see the mission through!", she confirmed, sending a strong message across.

* * *

After they arrived at the Manor, they were ushered to their 'home': a small house by a lake that the Duke had personally selected for them to stay at throughout their mission. Each mage was shown to his/her room.

Upon entering hers, Lucy clapped her hands, feeling all happy again. "This manor reminds me of home", she said to no one but herself. She loved it very much. The bedroom gave off a warm feeling. It was sunlit, overlooking the lake. The marble fire place was decorated with small figurines, and expensive silver candelabras. A gold framed large mirror was hanging slightly from the fireplace's wall, reflecting her image. Her large bed was covered in red silken sheets. She blushed when she noticed the color. There was a large white desk by the window. She walked to it and traced its white soft surface. She traced the expensive quill, and touched the high quality paper. She moved the white curtain, looking at the lake and the flowers around it. "Beautiful", she whispered. Leaning on her desk, she continued taking in the beauty of her room. Lucy was content. This place had awakened long forgotten memories: childhood, the manor, the servants and her mother, Laila.

She noticed the flowers on the night stands, the large Sandal wood wardrobe, and a door to her left side. Feeling excited, Lucy rushed to the door, opening it slowly. It opened to her Reading room. Unlike the red bedroom, the second room was of a lighter shade: pink. Lucy looked on, eyes twinkling, when she saw the large bookcase in front of her. "Oh my!", she commented out loud, unable to hide her excitement.

A light knock on the door made Lucy turn around. The messenger stood there. "Miss Heartfilia, it is time, my lady". Lucy nodded, following him outside the room.

* * *

Inside the Guest room, the young mages were introduced to the Duke Zenovic. They did not know what to expect, but they were surprised to see a young man who looked in his late twenties. _So young, _Erza thought_._ _So handsome_, Lucy smiled.

The Duke spoke: "I welcome you to my manor, Fairy Tail mages. I'm very delighted to have finally met you." They thanked him. "Please sit, you must be very tired from your journey." They thanked him again, and sat down on the comfy sofas.

Instantly, the large double doors opened revealing three maids. The first pushed a cart inside, while the two followed her in. The aromas of coffee, and tea and freshly backed cakes drifted to them. Natsu was drooling already, waiting patiently for the maids to serve them some. Erza nudged his leg under the table. He heard Erza's whisper: "behave yourself!" He gulped, scared to death. When the maids were done serving them, the Duke gestured with his hand "please, you are my guests!" They smiled, and sipped in their drinks slowly.

Once they were done and happy, mostly Natsu much to his friends embarrassment, The Duke discussed the mission with them in details. The mission was simple enough: to get rid of the cult members. But, locating the cult's lair was the problem. Lucy explained that she was able to locate them using her celestial magic. The Duke looked ecstatic! The rest of the team described their plan to the Duke, who was getting more interested in them.

* * *

After their meeting, they returned to their house. Lucy was in her room now. She had noticed that her small suitcase was brought to her room. She was lying on her bad, running her hand through the silky texture when a light knock was heard. She rose, urging them to come in. the door opened and her teammates walked in. Lucy smiled, walking up to meet them. "Hey guys, I was going to come and see you. I was wondering what kind of rooms you got!", she said happily. They smiled. "Well, we wanted to see your room too, Lucy", admitted Erza. "You have a nice room, Lucy", said Gray looking around. "And I luv your bed", added a voice behind her. She turned around and saw the Salamander and his annoying cat already stretching on her bed! "When did you?! Get off my bed!", she screamed! "You're no fun, Lucy!", complained the Slamander, lips pouting. "Aye", agreed the Exceed who was floating above! "Oh, really?! I'll show you how much fun I can be!", and she launched a pillow at Natsu!

* * *

The following day, the mages left the manor early, heading for the forest that loomed darkly in the horizon.

Lucy touched her keys, thinking about the previous night conversation.

_After the pillows fight was stopped, owing to a very scary mage, the Fairy Tail team-mates were finally able to discuss their mission in Lucy's Reading room. Gray was the first to mention the disappearance problem. He had brought to their attention the similarity between the Cult and Edo Fairy Tale: they were both able to disappear when in danger! Erza argued that their world had no access to Edo technology yet, which meant that their nemesis was using a stronger magic: dark magic. Natsu as usual was excited to kick some ass. In his mind, the stronger the opponent, the more interesting it was for him. _Lucy smiled when she remembered what happened later_. Erza bonked Natsu on the head! Natsu then sat quietly, nursing the red bump on his head, afraid he'd suffer Erza's wrath again. Gray was shaking his head, annoyed at the Slamander's simple mindedness! Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously then. She asked them to stick together, no matter what would happen! They were going against a strong dark magic circle. _

Lucy looked at her friends, walking beside her. _Eventhough I'm with my friends, I feel scared. Will we really succeed? I shouldn't doubt myself or them, but I can't stop this feeling. I need to summon Loke, now!_ she stopped suddenly, grabbing her golden key. Her friends stopped too, watching her. " Gate of the Lion Key, Leo, I open thee", she called. The golden key shone brightly. Her friends watched as Loki appeared before them. He smiled seductively at Lucy. "Master, you called?!", he asked. Lucy nodded. Loke then noticed his surroundings and the other mages who greeted him. He returned their greetings with much warmth and happiness. Happy landed slowly on his shoulder, excited as usual at the sight of the Great Lion who smiled at the smaller feline. Lucy blushed slightly at the smiling handsome Zodiac Leader. "I need you Loke", she explained. "We are going to face a dark magic cult." Loke nodded as he approached Lucy. "Don't worry, Lucy.", he adjusted his shades. "You're Prince is here!", he added, putting an arm around his master's shoulder. Lucy blushed, then reddened more, when the annoying Exceed commented "he liiiiiiiiiiiiiikes you!" Her friends "ohhed" at his daring gesture. "Stop it Loke!", she said angrily, removing his arm. Her spirit smiled playfully, feeling happy at being so close to his master again.

They reached the forest after some time. They stopped, at the edge, looking at the dark depths of the forest. Erza looked at the Celestial mage: "Lucy, it's your turn now. This forest is huge! We need to find their exact location quickly!" Lucy nodded, retrieving a silver key. She held it high in the air, citing the incantation: "Gate of the Compass Key, Pyxis, I open thee!" A sudden light appeared, as the penguin-like celestial spirit emerged finally. "Pyxis, I want you to find the hideout of the Twin Cult!", she asked her spirit. Pyxis nodded. Whe he saw the Zodiac Leader, he "pyxied", greeting Loke. The Great Lion smiled warmly at the smaller spirit. Pyxie's compass then started turning, searching for the cult. As soon as it located it, the spirit flew deep in the forest. "Wait for us!", called Lucy. "Alright! Let's follow him, quick", yelled Natsu, excitedly. They dashed into the dark forest.

* * *

**End of the first chapter**

**Don't forget to review. Thx ;)**

**You can now find the illustration(doujinshi) of the Lucy and Plue's scene on DeviantArt: **** loudotd _dot _deviantart _dot _com/art/Dark-Luv-The-Faited-Ones-Cover-338614608**  


**Lou.D  
**

* * *

[1] I came up with the name :)

[2] The northern kingdom, according to the Fairy Tail Wiki. (fairytail _dot wikia dot com/wiki/File:Colored_Earth_Land_Map dot png)_


	3. Fairies, spirits and Dark Mages

**Dark Luv**

by

******Lou.D**  


**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The mages run after the Compass spirit, going deeper in the thick forest. The darkness was growing around them, as they went in farther. Lucy's heart thumped loudly, the ominous feeling was tangible now. She felt the hair on her neck rising. She prayed silently that the mission would go well.

They reached what seemed to be the heart of the forest. The place was dump, and dimly lit. There was nothing around them apart from some trees that were scattered around.

The mages were panting hard. Natsu collapsed on the ground, Erza leaned forward on her knees, and Gray sat on a trunk breathing hard. Even the Exceed who was the fastest one of them was sprawled on his tummy, wings falling to each side, exhausted from flying. Lucy sat on the damp ground trying to catch her breath. She wasn't used to running long distances, let alone chasing a flying spirit across a forest. Loke kneeled next to her, holding her as she tried to catch her breath. He watched her with concern.

He noticed Pyxis in the middle of the clearing. His eyes narrowed. He didn't like this place: it was too quiet for a forest! He couldn't hear anything! Just the panting and the breathing sounds.

"This place is too quiet, and evil. I can feel it!" he said.

Lucy looked at him, having calmed a bit now. "Yeah, I feel it too. It's giving me the creeps!" she hugged herself, trying to surmount her fears. Loke rubbed her back soothingly.

After having regained their strength, the mages gathered where Pyxis was a while ago.

"There is no cult here!" Natsu was the first to speak.

"They are invisible!" Loke answered, eyeing him sternly.

"This isn't good!" commented Gray.

"There must be a way to reverse the invisibility spell!" replied Erza.

"But, how?!" asked Lucy.

Silence fell among them.

"Dammit! I'm starting to get pissed off! Come out you cowards, and fight me!" screamed Natsu, fists on fire.

"Quiet, Natsu! Your anger won't lure them out!" Erza chided him.

"This is ridiculous! We don't know even where or how to start!" added Gray, who was getting frustrated by the minute.

"I know! They are hiding from us! And they have no intent on fighting us as I can see!" The Titania smirked.

"Indeed," the Great Lion said, rising his fist slowly.

* * *

Within the barrier, the cult members were gathered inside the Great Chamber. Clad in their robes, the disciples were praying in an ancient language.

The air was thick, and cold. The Priest stood before them all in front of a round marble platform. Holding his stick, he was summoning the darkness into the chamber. He held his staff tightly, when he felt an immense power seeping slowly into the atmosphere.

He was about to raise his stuff, when a violent explosion shook the entire building. Strong vibrations hit the place, like an earthquake! Objects, idols and aisle candelabras fell on the stone floor. The prayer stopped as screams of terror rose. He cursed again, leaning on his staff, trying to hold himself.

When the last wave died down, he turned around, facing the cult, "Do not fear, my children! The mages will not enter! Do not stop! The time is ripe!" Slowly, the disciples resumed praying. The Priest glanced back at the round platform. _"Soon, the Gate will open! Fairy Tail, you will not stop me"_. He smiled evilly.

He closed his eyes, reaching for the unseen powers again. But the Priest was interrupted a second time when one of his lackeys joined him. Whispering, the man said,"Master, the barrier is waning. It won't be long before the entrance will be exposed!"

"No mage could break the barrier! How can this be possible?!" he asked, reeling back in shock.

"Indeed Master! No mage could! But for some unknown reason, they were able to break it! The Shaman spoke the truth! What should we do, Master?!"

"She has always spoken the truth, my son! It seems that we have underestimated these young mages! I am very intrigued! Let us see if they can make it in here, before the Opening," he ordered.

"Yes, Master."

* * *

In the wake of Loke's _Regulus Impact_, a massive wall of dust swept over the place. The young mages were coughing. When the dust lowered, they were able to see the massive chaos it had caused. Loke was standing in front of them, hands in pockets, staring hard at something. The young mages looked on beyond Loke, as they seemed to have finally noticed the same thing. The attack did not affect a certain area. Lucy was the first to approach her Celestial Spirit.

"That area isn't damaged at all?! She remarked, seeking an answer from Loke.

He nodded, before adding, "this must be what we seek, Lucy. A magical barrier is protecting it though."

"A barrier?!" the others blurted at the same time.

"We haven't come across mages who could do that before! Well, apart from Freed!" said Gray.

"There aren't many who can cast barriers around. It requires considerable magical strength," Loke added, explaining to him.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's attack it till it breaks," said an overexcited Natsu who was approaching fast.

"Wait!" said Loke suddenly. "Something is happening!"

The invisible screen around the hidden area faded, revealing a large double, pillared entrance. They stared in awe, as the rest of the lair emerged. Lucy was the first to recover.

"Loke, you did it!" she clapped her hands happily.

"You're so cool!" exclaimed the Exceed, who was lying on Natsu's head.

"Good job, Loke," Erza added, smiling.

"Nicely done, partner!" said Gray folding his arms.

"This is great, Loke! I'm all fired up! Now let's storm this place at once!" said Natsu, who dashed inside the building, not bothering to wait for them.

Loke smiled, feeling as proud as usual. He followed Lucy inside the building.

* * *

The Priest smiled when he sensed their presence."_Fools! Let's see what you can do now!"_He tapped his staff, as a dark magic circle appeared suddenly beneath it.

Instantly, Loke felt the disturbance in space. He shouted, "this is a trap! Everyone, get out, quickly!" but it was too late for them, as the entrance closed.

Suddenly the floor vanished, and they fell into the abyss.

Lucy wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious. It was pitch black, when she slowly opened her eyes. It was also eerily quiet, and cold.

Lucy was still feeling foggy. But, when she shifted a bit, she realized that she was lying on something warm. She felt also a weight on her back pressing her against something hard. When she moved again, she heard a grunt. Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice. She blushed tremendously, sitting up quickly. Lucy knew that she was now straddling Loke, for she felt his strong thighs. With shaky hands, she put her hands on him, feeling now the muscles underneath the shirt. She swallowed hard. Gently, she shook him, calling his name. She heard Loke mumble something, "Lucy, mmm, I love you". Lucy blushed more, realizing that he was dreaming of her. Her hands traveled north, caressing his chest. Loke moaned huskily this time. The young girl bit her lip, quickly reaching for his head. She felt his hair, and she smiled, amazed at the softness. Loke sighed loudly this time; her fingers were doing wonders to him.

"Ahh you vixen," he murmured still asleep.

Lucy blinked, once then twice before feeling a vein popping out. She slammed her fist in the sleeping Spirit, screaming "wake up you perverted Lion!"

Loke was drooling, dreaming of Lucy caressing him, touching him sensually, playing with his hair. He had a big perverted smile plastered on his face, when something collided harshly with it. He cried out in pain, feeling shocked at the rude awakening. He looked in the darkness and saw a livid Lucy, straddling him. Behind the shades, his green eyes shone lightly, like a feline in the dark, as he addressed his master.

"Lucy! You're awake!"

When she glared at him, he stammered, "what happened?! Did you… punch me?!" he asked slowly, rubbing his cheek.

Embarrassed at her violent reaction, she retorted, moving aside. "Yes I did! You were sleeping and …" she stopped, blushing now.

Loke's eyebrow rose. "And?"

She looked aside, hiding her blushing face. "You were dreaming and mumbling crazy stuff when I tried to wake you up," she confessed quietly, mortified by the whole situation.

Loke stiffened when he remembered his dream. He blushed, feeling embarrassed too. "Lucy," he called, "I'm sorry."

Lucy faced him slowly. Cheeks still burning. She smiled up at him, accepting his apology. "I'm sorry too Loke," she added after a moment. She didn't bring up the topic of their sleeping position, as she thought it was best to question him about it later.

Looking at his gleaming eyes, she asked, "what happened? The last thing I remember was falling in the darkness when the entrance disappeared."

Not liking the darkness they were in, Loke touched his ring. A golden light emanated from his hand, illuminating the place around them, as his eyes switched back to normal. "When the floor disappeared, we fell into the abyss. I caught you in time, but the others vanished. We kept on falling, till I landed on the ground holding you. But you passed out. So, I lied down with you, waiting for you to wake up. But, I drifted to sleep myself, until you woke me up!" he explained, smiling sheepishly at the last part.

Lucy looked at him, feeling joy, gratitude and another feeling she couldn't name yet. "Umm, I see. Thank you Loke for saving me," she said after a moment, admiring him with those cute big brown eyes.

Loke smirked, adjusting his shades.

"Let's move," he said quickly, "we need to find the others." She nodded. He offered her his hand, waiting for his master to accept. But, she ignored it.

_"Touchy feely, lovey dovey Lion!"_She mused. "Lead the way Loke!" she ordered.

"As you wish, Masterrr," he purred, enjoying her blush.

She followed him down the dark path, shaking her head at the playboy.

Shortly after, they ended up inside an empty room. Loke looked around, feeling irritated, as reality downed on him. He looked back at Lucy who was breathing slowly. He grabbed her shoulders quickly.

"Lucy, close my Gate! You will drain yourself!"

"No, I can still hold on! I—"

"We are trapped in a sub-dimension, Lucy!" He cut her short. Her eyes widened.

"You won't last in this place if you lose your strength! I can feel your magic weakening already! Close my Gate, now. I'll force it open back to you!" he reasoned, almost pleadingly.

As soon as Loke was sent back to the Stellar Realm, Lucy fell on the floor breathing hard. Eyes closed, she grasped for air when she felt a familiar presence next to her. A golden light shone in the darkness, as Virgo appeared this time. The pretty maiden bowed, greeting her master.

"Princess, Brother has sent me to your aid. I must get you out of here," she explained in her emotionless voice.

"Can you get the others too?"

"Yes, princess."

"Then, do it quick!"

"Yes, Princess. Will I get punished?!"

"Later, Virgo!"groaned Lucy.

Immediately, she started digging a hole, going deeper till Lucy couldn't hear her anymore. She materialized in an instant before her master. Supporting Lucy, she approached the big hole as they jumped in. Lucy held tight to her Spirit, screaming as she felt herself falling again in the abyss for the second time this day!

Lucy's eyes opened slowly, when Virgo called her. "Princess, we are out!" she informed her. Looking around, Lucy found herself back in the forest, near the entrance. When her Spirit leaned her against a tree, she let a long breath out.

Virgo stood nearby watching her, when Loke reappeared in his golden light. He kneeled next to Lucy who was smiling at both of them.

"Thanks, both of you. And Virgo, please find the others and bring them here."

"Yes, Princess."

She jumped into the big hole again, leaving the two behind. Loke looked back at Lucy who seemed to be regaining her strength.

"Feeling better now, Lucy?" he asked, holding her hand tenderly.

"Yes. Much better. Thanks for everything, Loke."

He smiled watching her as her eyes closed again.

* * *

It didn't take Virgo long before she brought Natsu, Happy, Erza and Gray back. Lucy was glad they were safe, but she noticed that they looked pale, and weak too. Apparently, the sub-dimension had only affected the humans, sucking out their magic as Loke was explaining to them. Lucy shuddered imagining the fate that would've awaited them, if her Celestial Spirits hadn't interfered in time.

After regaining their strength, the mages thought about a way to bring the cursed cult down. Lucy realized that Virgo could be the key to their mission. She asked her Celestial Spirit to lead them into the Cult's lair. Instantly, the Celestial Spirit got to work, digging, till they couldn't her anymore.

After a while, Virgo jumped out of the hole, landing near Lucy. She explained that she had dug her way out into an empty room. She added that there were many mages inside the building, and that a ritual was taking place.

They went quiet with shock when she mentioned _ritual_. Their mission was simple enough: to get rid of the Cult. But it hasn't been that easy for them so far! And the last thing they needed now was to walk on them in the midst of a ritual.

"This is our chance to take them down!" Natsu said, cutting the silence. "They are busy now! One strike and we'll be done with them forever!" he added quickly.

"Just be careful! We have been lucky enough to remain alive, today! We need to strike fast if we wish to end this mission!" Erza explained eyeing them. They nodded. "Let's go!" she urged them, heading first to the deep hole.

On the other end of the tunnel, they found themselves inside a small storage room. They could hear the distant sounds of prayers.

They were met with a feeble resistance: a group of guards that were watching over a large gate. Not giving them any time to call for help, Erza requipped in _the Robe of Yuen_, taking care of them quickly. When the last guard fell down, they hurried inside the gate, down the hall, till they reached a vast circular room that had another five gates.

"Not again!" whined Lucy.

"We shouldn't split, but we have no choice left!" Gray spat, hating the current dilemma.

"Let's move, now. Judging by the sound, we are getting closer!"

"What if this is another trap, Erza? What if only one gate leads to the ritual room?!" Lucy argued, not liking where the thought was leading to.

"In that case, we'll have _to fight_our way in, Lucy! And I'm not wasting another second! Let's go Happy!" said the impulsive Salamander as he rushed inside the second gate followed by the flying Exceed.

"He is right, Lucy!" Erza replied, before running toward the first gate, leaving the others behind.

Gray looked at Lucy one more time, before heading towards the third one.

Lucy looked at the last gates, wondering which one to choose. She shifted her gaze between the remaining gates.

_"Which one should I choose?! Even if I choose the fourth, someone will still have to go through the last gate!"_she thought.

As if sensing her distress, Loke was quick to answer her. "Virgo and I will both go with you, Lucy," he said firmly. "It is our duty to protect you! You know that!"

Virgo nodded, backing the Zodiac leader. Then, she bowed asking, "I'll go into the last gate, if you wish Princess!" Lucy was shocked. Loke looked at Virgo questioningly. "Brother is stronger. He should stay with you," she added.

Lucy felt lost and guilty. She didn't want to send Virgo all alone. Her Spirits were her friends, and she couldn't bear the idea of using them like some tools. But she had no choice. _"Just this time, Lucy."_

"In that case, go into the fifth gate," she said before adding, "and be careful, Virgo!" feeling bad about her decision.

"Yes, Princess!" the pretty Celestial Spirit said as she dashed inside the last one.

Lucy looked in her direction, praying that she would make it through. She felt Loke's hand on her shoulder, reassuring her as if reading her thoughts. She nodded, and they both hurried towards the fourth gate.

* * *

When the Priest first sensed their presence inside the building, he almost lost control. He went rigid, as he couldn't believe what was happening. It was absolutely impossible for anyone to escape the sub dimension!

"No man can get out of there!' he muttered, feeling lost.

His eyes widened slowly, when he realized their secret. "Unless! Yes, it has to be it!" his eyes darkened, feeling cold sweat on his wrinkly face.

He tapped his staff on the floor, dark mages appeared from the shadows, "find Fairy Tail and get rid of them! NOW!" he bellowed.

Suddenly, dark magical flares erupted from the platform. The Priest raised his hands, realizing that the magical link between the two worlds had finally been established. He had to control the foreign power before it consumed them all. So, he chanted a spell in an ancient language, balancing the power swirling around the platform.

Once controlled, he uttered the magic words.

**_"Mother of darkness who shines above, Lord of Tierra who rules the Sumov,_**  
**_Guardian of the Sacred Stone, Priestess of the Temple of Aton,_**  
**_I call upon thee!_**  
**_Hear my prayer!_** **_O, great Empress!_**  
**_Thou shalt have dominion over us!_**  
**_Transibunt portam, Greta Imperatrix!"_**

As soon as he finished the summoning incantation, a black smoke swirled in the centre. Suddenly an impressive dark magical circle appeared on the ceiling. The disciples watched in awe as the parallel golden magical circle of the platform shone brilliantly, reacting to it. Golden tendrils shot from the platform, reaching upwards to the dark circle. Then, a dark vortex shot from the top circle, crashing violently onto the second one. The collision was extremely powerfully that it cracked the walls and the pillars of the Chamber. The entire place shook as the two lights fused with each other. The wooden doors were blown opened; the cult members knelt in terror, feeling the descent of the Empress. The Priest watched in fascination, as the pillar of light subsided finally revealing a naked young woman, sitting on her knees, arms crossed, head lowered.

Falling to his knees, the Priest gawked as the naked woman raised her head slowly, auburn hair fawning around her beautiful face, covering her chest.

She opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings at once. When her brown eyes met his, he kneeled more, avoiding her gaze.

The young woman stood up. She noticed the Cult members who were still kneeling, not daring to look up at shadows enveloped her, covering her nakedness. Dressed in a short black dress, that accentuated her curvaceous figure, she addressed the Priest in a sultry voice.

"**Quis invocavit me?**" she demanded, wanting to know who summoned her.

The Priest spoke, sitting on his knees now, "**humilis servus vester, imperatrix!** _"Yes, I am your humble servant!"_he thought.

"**Quid quaeritis?**" she waited for him to explain his reasons for summoning her.

"**Lux devicerit tenebris in hoc mundo, imperatrix!**" he explained his motive: the Light has toppled the darkness down in their world.

Her eyes narrowed. "**Orire!**" she ordered him.

He gulped, standing up as told. He shivered as her dark eyes bore into felt her hold on him, as her eyes searched his soul.

* * *

The fairy Tail mages were battling their enemies when they heard the booming voice of the collision. Waves after waves of aftershocks hit the halls, rendering it impossible for anyone to move.

Natsu who had been fighting a dark mage was the most affected; he fell on the floor, feeling sick.

His enemy who was suffering from his injuries was lying on the floor, waiting for the quake to end.

They didn't notice the cracks that traveled quickly across the walls, spreading to the dark ceiling above them. Dust started falling as the ceiling was crumbling.

Alarmed, Happy quickly latched onto the dizzy mage. Spreading his wings, he flew across the hall, dodging the falling stones.

Gray was also having a difficult time getting out of the hall. He had been about to launch another _Ice Make_ attack against his enemy, when the floor shook violently beneath them. Gray cursed loudly, when the floor started collapsing quickly. Realizing that he wasn't going to make it running, he quickly transformed the floor into ice. He glided his way across, shielding himself with the _Ice Make Shield_from the debris that was coming down.

However, Erza was already on her way out. It hadn't taken her much time to defeat two dark mages. But when the quake reached the hall, she noticed the cracks spreading everywhere. When the floor split, she reequipped in her _Black Wing Armor_. Spreading the demon like wings, she took off, smashing anything blocking her way.

Similarly, Virgo had no problem vanquishing the dark mage who challenged her. Casting _Spica Hole_, she was able to trap the mage rapidly within a hole. When she felt the ground shaking, she dived quickly under the ground, using her _Spica Dive_magic.

As for the celestial mage and her knight in shining armor, things had gone smoothly. The Zodiac leader was quick to deal with the mage who had shown up before them. Noticing the narrow hall, Loke opted for a direct one-on-one fight. He slithered his way between the shadows that the mage had suddenly launched at them. As swift and lithe as a lion, he landed before the scared mage before hitting him with a _Regulus Punch_that sent him flying across the hall.

Lucy jumped up, happily, cheering her Celestial Spirit. But the moment was short lived, as they felt the aftershocks too.

The young blonde fell on the floor, unable to keep her balance. She screamed, as the ground trembled violently beneath her.

Sensing the danger around them, Loke rushed to her rescue. One strong leap was enough for him to reach her. Carrying his master bridal style, he sprinted towards the end of the hall.

Lucy could only close her eyes and clench her hands tight onto his shirt.

* * *

Once the Empress gathered all the knowledge she desired, she sat the Priest free from her hold. He fell to his knees panting, weakened from her _soul searching_.

Slowly, the angry voice of the Empress reached him. "If the light rules in this world, it is because of the likes of you, feeble dark mages who haven't mastered enough magic to destroy white ones! How dare a weakling such as yourself and your lowly followers summon me into this miserable world?! And to think that you have brought me across the time and space, disturbing the celestial flow for your selfish needs!" she seethed.

The Priest was quick to apologize, "forgive me Great Empress, but we had no other choice left but to call upon you. The white mages have grown so strong that it has become impossible for us to fight them. In the ancient times, a strong dark mage appeared in this world. He ruled over, spreading the darkness all over the world. Alas, the mages of this world, back then, gathered all and united their magic, sealing him away forever. But, we do not know his whereabouts, Great Empress. It has been 400 years now since the darkest mage of our times was sealed!"

"I wish to have nothing to do with this miserable world or your pity quest! It is your world, your calling! Selfish, weakling! I command you to open the Gate once more!" she ordered.

The Priest sat in disbelief. He had taken such great pains to build the platform, to gather the ancient documents secretly away from the watchful eye of ERA. He had also went to great lengths to keep the white guilds and meddling parts from interrupting his work, or searching for his guild. In the end, the Great Empress wanted nothing to do with every dark mage utmost desire. He lowered his head, as tears fell down.

He stood up slowly, holding his staff, wiping his tears. Thinking quickly, he said "Your wish is my command, Great Empress!" He bowed.

The Empress eyes softened at the sight before her. She understood his wish, for it was hers too. But she had no desire into being into this world. She only wished to return to her own, and rule over the darkness that awaited her back there as she had always done. She was after all a foreigner who was unrightfully brought into this world. She didn't belong in here!

The Priest approached the platform. Calling his disciples, they rose obediently, upset. Some were even crying. The Empress watched them, taking in their pain and sorrow. She turned around walking to the center of the platform.

But, she didn't expect to see what she saw then. The center of the platform was shattered. As she gazed at the rest of the golden platform, she noticed that other parts were broken! In fact, a great deal of the platform was broken. She faced the Priest slowly, eyes glowing red, as her dark aura grew dangerously, reaching towards the others.

The Priest was horrified when he realized that the platform was shattered. Not only he could not send the Empress back, but he could no longer use the platform for his other astral work. But for the time being, he had to deal with an outraged outwardly dark lord who was about to blast them all to oblivion. So he did the only thing that he could do: appease her.

"I can reconstruct the platform, mighty Empress! Please, I seek your forgiveness! We will open the Gate again, and establish the magical link in no time!" he lied, shaking with fear.

But the Empress was not convinced! "You wretched fool! Do not lie to me! I see into your damned soul!"she screamed, her aura flaring madly around her. Losing control, she swung her left arm, and the left side of the Chamber blew up! The Priest was thrown away from the strong blast. His minions were blasted away, as the left wing gave way, crumbling down into the darkness beneath it.

Flames erupted nearby, as she sat on the platform, leaning forward slightly, in deep thought. She heard a grunt and her eyes shot up quickly. She watched the Priest and the remaining minions emerging slowly from under the debris.

Painfully, the wounded Priest rose to his feet, facing the Empress. His minions however wasted no time as they ran for their lives.

Her eyes narrowed at the fleeing humans. Her hand clenched but she stopped suddenly from casting whatever ungodly spell she was about to unleash when she felt a powerful presence. She realized that there were many auras nearby. Her eyes widened slightly, when she recognized a certain magical aura that was close by.

Forgetting about the Gate, and everything else, she addressed the old man, shaking her head, "you summoned me whilst under attack! You useless Priest! I can feel these magic wielders, and they sure are no dark ones!"

The Priest realized that his mages had failed him! Looking at the smirking Empress, he admitted, "I had no choice but to complete the Ritual, Great Empress! They are strong mages who were sent to destroy this Cult! I have sent my minions, erected a barrier, even created a deadly sub-dimension, but they managed to come out alive!"

The Empress smiled more, "my interest in them has been spiked. I would like to meet them all and see what this world has to offer."

"Great Empress, have you finally considered my plea?" the priest asked, hoping that she would finally put an end to all these peace loving magic guilds.

"You're offer doesn't stand! Wretched priest! I have made it clear that I held no interest in conquering this world of yours. Now that the Gate is lost, I have no other choice left but to embrace this world! I am very curious about the magic over here and your guests." she emphasized smiling again. "As for you," she continued glaring at him, "I suggest that you start working fast on building a new platform, that is if you wish to be spared a painful death!"

The priest gulped loudly. He was about to reply, when two mages walked in: a blonde young girl and a handsome ginger man. Shortly after, four young mages and a flying cat joined them!

The Priest stared in shock; he didn't expect to see teenagers of all the people! And a flying cat! What kind of mages were they?!

The Empress on the other hand was smiling like a child who was just given his favorite candy. Leaning on her right arm, she crossed her legs, examining them one by one as they looked at the ruined Chamber before their eyes were settled on her.

But, when her eyes settled upon Lucy, Loke, then Virgo, her eyebrows rose, in shock.

Suddenly, she addressed the tensed teens, "you have come here to destroy the cult, haven't you?"

"Who are you?" screamed Natsu, feeling uneasy about her.

"Another mage who has beaten you to it!" she smiled playfully.

"What the! Who sent you here?!" he asked again, fetching for more info.

"My guild of course!" she smiled more, eyes lowering, studying him.

"Name your guild, then!" ordered Erza, not trusting her.

The Empress brought her finger to her red lips, "Red Dragon, young one".

The mages went silent, before Gray questioned her. "I have never heard of such a guild! Show us your guild insignia!"

"Ohh. Are you sure, young man? You might get really uncomfortable and bothered!" she tapped her finger on her lower full lip.

The young mages whispered among themselves.

"What does she mean by that?" asked a clueless Natsu.

Erza bonked him on the head, twitching. Blushing, she asked them, "should we ask her still?" they nodded blushing too.

"Alright, show us your mark if you are truly a guild mage!" he asked again, cheeks reddening.

"But, I will have to strip down, if I do that! Do you wish to see me naked that badly?!" she mused, eyes gleaming.

Everyone in the room was now blushing furiously apart from Virgo.

Gray stammered, red like a tomato. He apologized quickly. "Ssorry!"

"But we need to make sure that you belong to that guild,"came the voice of Loke who stepped forward, cheeks red too.

She tilted her head, gazing at Loke."Just the girls, then. The rest of you will have to turn around."

Loke nodded.

Well all the males turned around facing the blown door. Gray and Loke were blushing. Even the cat was looking away blushing. Natsu turned around, red too when the cat had whispered something in his ear.

The Priest who had been following their interaction was utterly shocked. The Empress behavior had changed drastically when they walked in. May be she was truly interested in them! But why them, and not him or other dark mages! His mind failed to understand her interest and more importantly her alluring, playful behavior.

When she glanced at him, he shut his eyes, not daring to peek at her!

Satisfied with their obedience, she hopped down from the platform walking towards the girls. She stopped; close enough for them to see her. When her dark dress fell to her feet, Lucy and Erza gasped. They didn't expect her to undress. They blushed, as she turned around, showing them the mark on her lower back, not bothered at all by her nakedness!

The guys were blushing, but when they heard the sound of her silky robe unfolding and the gasp of the girls, they gulped. They, of course, being Gray and Loke. Their ears reddened as they heard the girls talk.

"Well, can you see it? It's down there," the brunette said.

"Yeah, I can see it," said the redhead.

"Wow, me too," commented the blonde.

"Umm," added the pinkhead.

The guys were thinking about all sorts of perverted things, but they almost nosebled, when they heard the saucy mage talk again.

"You can trace it with your fingers. But tenderly, it's really sensitive!" she added.

"There is no need to do that!"said the redhead

"Are you embarrassed?!" she teased.

"No, I'm not!"

"Oh please! If you don't check it for yourself, the others won't believe me!"

"Alright, I'll do it!"

Silence fell, as the guys were now all on edge, their imagination running wild!

"So soft!" they heard Lucy.

"Very soft skin," Virgo spoke.

Lucy groaned.

Loke and Gray swallowed hard.

"sorry princess! Will I get punished?!"

"Noooo!"

"Are you done yet?!" Gray interrupted them, frusturated.

"You can dress now!" said Erza quickly

"Thank you!" the mage said sultrily.

They heard the sound of silk friction, and they reddened more!

"You may look now!" said the new mage.

When they turned around, they were surprised to see the new girl so close to them. She was gorgeous, and had a sinuous body to go with. They couldn't help but ogle her.

The mage smiled seductively, satisfied with their reaction. She continued, "well, I have managed to destroy half of the Cult. The rest was dealt with by you. And.." she stopped as she saw a magical circle appearing under the Priest.

The said Priest was about to say something when he felt a power tugging at him. He stared at the Empress for a second, before he disappeared into thin air.

They stood in shock, staring at the spot where the Priest was at seconds ago.

* * *

**End of chapter 2 ;) Don't forget to review, thank you.**

******Lou.D**  



	4. Webs of Deceit

**Dark Luv**

by

**********Lou.D**  


**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Chapter 3**

They stared at the spot where the Priest had been moments ago. The Fairy Tail mages panicked, not knowing what had just happened.

"What was that?" asked Lucy.

"It seems that he has just teleported!" Loke pointed out to them. They looked at him in shock, as the piece of information sank in.

The Empress was quiet, thinking. _Someone has just saved the damned Priest! And now, I need to find a way to open the Gate back. _Their voices caught her attention. She observed them, as they talked, _but there is no need to rush myself now! I might just learn more about this world and these mages!_

The sudden disappearance of the Priest turned everything upside down for them. Usually, they would take missions, complete them then collect their rewards. But this mission came to an unexpected end. They weren't sure on what to do next.

"Well, we have completed the mission. We should now head back to the Manor and collect the reward," Natsu was the first to suggest.

"What about the old man?" asked Lucy.

"What about him, Lucy? He vanished, so we can't do anything about it!" Gray reasoned.

"Our mission was clear, Lucy: to destroy the Twins Cult! We will however explain the details to the Duke." Erza pointed out.

"Won't that affect the contract's terms? What if the Duke won't be satisfied? We might not get a dime, and I won't be able to pay next month's rent!" the blonde moaned, thinking about the consequences.

"Yes, but we don't know Lucy. Technically, we did put an end to the Cult. And we weren't the only ones who carried out the mission!" said Gray, looking at the Empress. "You were already here when we arrived," he addressed the new mage.

The Empress nodded. "He is right! You shouldn't worry yourselves. I will explain my share of events to the Duke, if needed."

"Speaking of which, how did you make it out of all those traps?!" Loke suddenly asked.

She sighed. She knew that they were going to question her sooner or later. She had no reason to tell them the truth, but she wanted to get closer to them nonetheless.

"I chose the shortest and the safest path!" she explained, tucking a wavy strand of hair behind her ear.

"Which is?"

"Teleportation," she replied.

"WHAT!" everyone said in unison, apart from Virgo!

The Empress was slightly taken aback by their sudden outburst. _So Teleportation magic isn't common in this world after all! Interesting._

"The same magic as the old man's?!" Erza asked.

"No, there are many types of Teleportation magic, you should know that!"

Erza's eye narrowed.

Loke smiled at the new mage who had just mocked the Titania of all the people. _Messing with the Titania herself! What a bad girl!_

"So, you can travel between places whenever you want?!" came the cheerful voice of Happy. The Empress eyes widened as she looked at the Exceed. _It talked! Amazing. _

"Yes, I can. If you learn it, you'll be able to travel wherever you wish! kitty!"

"You're cool! And my name is Happy by the way!" the Exceed said getting excited.

"Happy! Aww, so cute! Come into my arms, Happy!" she said. The Exceed wasted no second, as he flew in, bumping softly in her generous bosom. She blushed, hugging the cat. "I love cats," she told him rubbing his head. When Happy started purring, she smiled. Her eyes widened slightly when she picked up a spike in the handsome man's aura. She eyed him, puzzled.

But her action didn't go unnoticed by the 'handsome man'! He realized that she had reacted to his thoughts, as if she could feel him out! And he became intrigued. Curious about her magic, he ventured, asking, "well, how about telling us more about your magic?"

"I'm afraid, I can't tell you!" she smiled at him.

"How come?"

"I don't share the specifics of my magic! It's unusual for me! "she explained.

"But we completed the request together! You can trust us! We are not dark mages you know!" the Celestial mage replied, not understanding her logic.

"You must be hiding something if you are not willing to share more details with us !" Erza suddenly confronted her.

The smug Empress erupted then in laughter, much to everyone's surprise.

"A secret!", she said between laughter. "Oh yes, I do have a secret! And a big one at that!" she laughed more, ignoring the anger that appeared on Erza's face. When she calmed down, she went on, "I understand that you're curious about me! And it's true! We have completed this mission together! Yet I don't know much about you, and neither do you know a thing about me! I guess it won't hurt to share some info with you, will it? After all, we will soon return to the Duke to claim that reward!"

"So, what's your secret then?" came the chilly voice of Erza.

Everyone tensed, feeling Erza's anger. The Empress smiled at her. _So angry! _

"My secret is a very simple one: I was ordered to complete this mission by the guild's master. Now, Red Dragon lays far, far away from the Kingdom of Fiore. It is in the Kingdom of Pergrande!"

"No way! You mean that you have come all the way from there! It takes months to get to Fiore!" Natsu wondered, shocked.

"No, I didn't travel by ordinary means of transportation! I simply teleported in here."

"You mean here, in the Chamber!"

"Yes!"

"But, how were you able to do it?! This is amazing!" Lucy now asked.

"I located them, and when I did, I used all my magical power to appear here. It takes too much magic to do it! But when I did, I found them in the midst of a ritual."

Fairy Tail mages then exchanged quick glances.

"What happened then?" Gray asked.

"When they noticed my presence, they attacked me! I had to deal with them quickly! And I did! But in the midst of it all, something had gone awfully wrong with their ritual, I don't know what happened exactly, because a powerful explosion took place all of a sudden. Half of the Chamber was wiped out! I was lucky enough to remain alive!"

"But, when we walked in, you were just sitting, watching us! As if you were expecting us, weren't you?" Erza challenged her.

"True. I had decided to keep the old man alive, so I could deliver him to the Duke. This is when he started blabbering about how I and the other mages weren't going to make it out of this place! I realized that I wasn't the only one here! And I was interested into meeting you, so I sat down waiting for you to show up!"

"I see!" Lucy said smiling. "Well, I'm glad that you have finally decided to open up a little bit and share what happened with us."

"Well, I'm not used to sharing info with other mages! Let alone those from different guilds! I like to keep my distance!"

"Don't you feel lonely?!" Lucy asked suddenly.

The Empress was surprised by her question, and most of all her warmth. She wasn't mistaken about Lucy's honest feelings. She closed her eyes, for a minute, reminiscing about the lost times when someone actually used to care about her.

Opening her eyes, she asked, "does it sadden you?"

"Um, well, …yes!" Lucy replied slowly, watching the older girl.

Unexpectedly, the new mage advanced towards her.

Loke stepped closer to his owner, not trusting the mage.

She stood in front of the blonde, her dark eyes boring into hers. Slowly, she brought her hand to Lucy's cheek. The others flushed a bit as they watched the pair with interest. Loke watched too, curious now.

"It's been far too long since anyone cared about my well being!" she admitted, watching Lucy's flushed face closely.

Loke's eyes widened as he watched her lean forward. The others gulped. _Is she going to_? They all thought the same thing.

Lucy was shocked; she watched the weird mage lower her face, about to kiss her.

_Err, she is going to…! My first kiss is going to be from a girl! _She thought, her heart thumping wildly.

Erza held her breath, as she waited for her lips to caress Lucy's. The boys gaped, blushing like crazy. Virgo stared as usual while Loke's mouth hanged open.

But the Empress simply kissed Lucy on the reddening cheek!

Lucy stared bewildered at her, then smiled gradually, feeling happy at the friendly gesture.

The Empress then noticed the others' expressions. She quirked an eyebrow, «what! Did you think I was going to kiss her _on the lips_?!"

No one uttered a word! Their blush however deepened!

"My, my! Who would've thought?!" she teased them, eyes shining with mirth! She looked back at Lucy who was giving her friends an incredulous look. "Well, since you were kind enough to worry about me, I shall return your kindness once we reach the Manor. That I promise ," she brought her right hand to her chest, as if taking an oath.

"Umm, you don't have to! You know!"

"No, I shall speak to the Duke as soon as we arrive!" she declared, before adding "isn't it about time we returned? My journey has been long and draining. I bet yours has been too!"

When they nodded, she continued, "besides, I'm so looking forward to getting my share of the reward!"

At the mention of 'reward', Lucy spoke, eyes twinkling, "yes, let's get back! I can't wait to get mine!" she daydreamed about her rent, and shopping. Natsu smiled broadly, Gray and Erza nodded warily, Loke smirked and Virgo, well, just kept on watching them all!

Natsu all of a sudden blurted out feeling enthusiastic, "well, since we are all going to the Duke's Manor, let's introduce ourselves; name's Natsu, and Happy is my partner!"

"Aye," said the cat, settled now on the Empress shoulder.

"I'm Lucy, nice to meet you!" The blonde said politely.

"I'm Gray," he followed, hands in pockets.

"My name is Erza," she said crossing her arms.

"I'm Loke," Leo said giving her a dashing smile to which the Empress blushed slightly.

"I'm Virgo. Nice to meet you," she said bowing.

The Empress was astonished. "Virgo! Like the Constellation of the Maiden?!" Lucy explained quickly, "she is just named after the Constellation herself!" She laughed nervously. The Empress however had another opinion.

Finally, she introduced herself, "my name is Elena, nice to meet you all."

"Alright, let's get out of here, then," said Natsu, as he headed outside.

Elena glanced for the last time at the platform, before following them outside the Great Chamber. She noticed the crumbled walls, and the cracked floor. She realized that the collision had wrecked the entire building. _No wonder the platform was shattered!The Opening was tremendously powerful! _

Natsu led them to the hall that he had taken with Happy. He was about to explain how he had managed to come out of the hall, when he stopped abruptly. They looked on and saw the black void that was before them. The other side of the hall had vanished; they were now trapped!

Elena watched them as they talked and cursed; they were trying to find a way to break through but ended up disagreeing, especially the boys who were now shouting. When their voices rose again, Elena decided that she had had enough! She clapped her hands, getting their attention, "Well I think, I might have the solution for our problem!"

Happy who was still perched on her shoulder, asked "really?!"

"Yes! We are trapped here, and I don't see how we are going to leave this place, considering that half of the building had collapsed! Unless, I teleport all of us out of here!"

"This is great!" Natsu was ecstatic.

When they nodded, she continued, "good! I need you to hold each other hands! We need to form a circle!" When they complied, she added" now, close your eyes, and let us all concentrate on the Manor! I need you to see the Manor, picture it! One place all of you!" She watched them as they closed their eyes. She closed hers too, picturing the Manor as well. The old man's memories were rushing before her, till she pictured the Manor. She felt their magical auras around her and smiled. She could tell that they were strong mages.

"Now, hold tight and don't open your eyes!" she said quickly.

They suddenly felt immense power swirling around them! A dark magical circle appeared beneath them, as Elena summoned all her strength to teleport all of them into the Manor.

The strange power increased, and suddenly they felt lighter as if they were floating. It was a strange feeling, but it only lasted for a very short moment, before their feet touched the solid floor again.

"Oh my God!" a shocked masculine voice spoke loudly.

They opened their eyes quickly, and looked on. They were back in the Manor, at the Guest room. More amazingly, the Duke himself was standing before them in his bed robe, looking shocked and scared!

He managed to point a shaky finger at them, stuttering "how… how did you…"

But Erza was quick to reply, "my apologies if we have scared you, your Lordship! We have just returned from the mission!"

The Duke fell suddenly on the sofa, still shaking. "But… how did you!" he asked still in shock.

"We have teleported in here!" Elena suddenly said.

The Duke didn't say a word. He stared at Elena, Loke, Virgo, then the familiar faces of the young mages.

After a moment, the Duke finally talked, "please forgive my outburst! I must admit I was shocked by your sudden appearance! I saw the magical circle, and suddenly you appeared before me as if you came out of the air! I have never witnessed anything like it before!" he gulped before adding "please take a seat!" he gestured with his shaky hand.

They sat down, listening to him.

"I gather that you have completed your mission, then!", when they nodded. He went on, excited, "at last! We have put an end to the evil cult! Thank you Fairy Tail!" he smiled broadly. When he noticed Elena and the others, he wondered, curiosity getting the best out of him, "I see that you have brought friends with you! Are you from the same guild too?!"

Lucy replied quickly. "Yes, your Lordship, Loke and Virgo are my friends and Fairy Tail mages," she glanced at Virgo and Loke. The latter smiled at her.

"And what about you, my lady?" the Duke asked Elena.

She smiled sweetly at him, eyes flattering. "My name is Elena, your Lordship," she introduced herself in her sultry voice, before she extended her hand to him.

The Duke smiled, overjoyed at the presence of the beautiful older mage. He gave her hand a soft kiss which made the girls giddy.

"I wasn't aware that Fairy Tail had such exquisite beauties!"

"Thank you, your Lordship. Your words are most flattering!" she cooed.

"Please, don't be modest. You are a pretty mage. Fairy Tail is truly a wondrous guild!" he exclaimed.

"Your Lordship is most kind! But, I'm afraid that I don't belong to the infamous Fairy Tail guild. I am still a proud member of Red Dragon."

"The Red Dragon Guild!"

Elena nodded, smiling more. She gazed into the Duke's eyes, forgetting for a moment about their audience.

Lucy nudged Erza, whispering "Doesn't she remind you of someone?" Erza nodded. The two girls didn't realize that Loke overheard them. He smirked, pushing his shades. Virgo glanced at him quickly.

Gray watched the exchange with less interest. He was very tired and wanted nothing more than to retire to his room. Natsu on the other hand was just gawking at Elena and the Duke. He glanced at the girls who were all blushing and smiling, and scratched his head clueless at their happiness. Gray sighed a bit too loudly at Natsu's priceless face. _Sheesh, get a hint already, you dimwit_!

The Duke spoke after a moment "I didn't think that the Red Dragon was going to respond! But I'm glad that you finally did! The more, the merrier! "he clapped his hands.

Lucy whispered again to Erza "he never mentioned it to us! Isn't it strange?!"

"Yes. But I don't think it's important now, Lucy. We just need to grab the reward and leave! "

"Well, I am glad that you have succeeded. At last, I have gotten rid of that Cult." Eyeing them quickly, he added," in the meantime, I hope that you will make the most of your time at my Manor. You are still my guests".

"Thank you your Lordship!" they replied

He grabbed a bell that was on the marble table. As soon as he shook it, the large double doors opened, revealing his assistant who walked quickly to his side.

"Please, show our guests to their rooms. They need to rest after their long journey!" he ordered.

"Well, I shall see you tomorrow. We still need to discuss the details of your mission. I bid you good night, good mages!" they bowed quickly, as he left the room.

* * *

**Well, chapter 3 is done, wow.**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing the previous chapters. You guys are awesome.**

**Hope that you have enjoyed this one. The story is unfolding slowly ;)**

**_Master_ will be updated these days. So, stay tuned lol**

**Okay, here is another good LoLu AMV. A very funny one, and amazingly done. **

**LoLu Animal on Youtube _forward slash_ watch?v=iACp8B8tkW8&feature=related**

**Please be safe. **

**Lou.D**


	5. Cat got out of the bag!

**Dark Luv**

by

**************Lou.D**  


**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Elena was standing next to the fire place, watching the flames, when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The door opened and Lucy walked in. Elena watched her carefully, wondering about her sudden visit.

"Lucy!"

Smiling at the young blonde, she admitted, "I didn't expect to see you so soon! Please, come sit with me." She gestured with her hand towards the smiled at the exquisite mage. "Thank you, Elena." Sitting down, the Celestial mage resumed talking as she stared at the older girl.

"So, what brings you, Lucy?"

"Well, we have decided to celebrate our victory together. We've all had a rough day, and I thought it was nice to have a small celebration, just between us! Besides, you have helped us to get out of that place! We could have remained stuck there, if you hadn't intervened!" she grabbed Elena's hands, surprising the dark mage. "Would you like to come? It will be fun!"

"Certainly. That's kind of you!" She smiled down at her, squeezing her hands.

* * *

Inside Lucy's room, the other mages were talking, waiting for the two girls to arrive. At first, they talked about the mission and the eventful day. Then, their conversation shifted to the new mage.

"She must be really strong! I can't wait to find out!" Natsu said, munching on a cookie.

"Natsu, you are thinking about challenging her, aren't you?!" Happy asked.

"Yes. As soon as we take the reward, I'll ask her!" he clenched his fists, feeling fired up.

Gray sighed, annoyed. Loke sipped his tea, amused at Natsu's antiques.

"Don't!" came Erza's sudden order.

They looked at her, questioningly.

"Why not, Erza?!" the Salamander asked, hands entwined behind his head, sulking.

"I still don't trust her!" she explained quickly.

"And the Duke never mentioned her to begin with!" said Gray who was unconsciously beginning to strip.

"Gray! Your clothes!"

Gray blushed when he looked down. He was shirtless, and his hand was already on his belt, trying to unfasten it.

"Sorry, guys!" he said, as he bent down to pick up his shirt.

"I find it extremely strange that he never said a word about her!" Erza added, watching Gray button up his shirt.

"Yes it is! But remember what Elena said when we first met her. She too didn't know that we had been sent! It seems that the Duke hadn't told her before! So you're not the only ones who were left in the dark!"

"Yes, you're right, Loke. Besides, when we first arrived at Berucia, we were informed that many requests had been sent. But to send the request to the farthest kingdom on the land is something else! I guess he was really desperate for help!"

"What's done is done now. We had a mission, we completed it. Now, we take the reward and we return to Magnolia," Loke summed up. He took another sip before adding, "but Elena is definitely strong. Teleportation is not easy to perform on a single person, let alone on a number of people. The fact that she could bring all of you including _me_ and _Virgo_, two celestial spirits into here speaks volumes! Erza is right, Natsu! She might be more powerful than we think! Don't do it! "

"So, Flame brain has no chance of beating her?!" Gray concluded. He smiled evilly, enjoying now Natsu's angry face.

"Oh yeah! Like you can, stripper!" he said quickly, rising from his seat next to Loke.

"What did you call me?!" Gray yelled, standing up too to face his rival.

"Stripper! You're in denial!" he taunted.

"Why you!" Gray snapped. He directed his fist at Natsu, but was stopped by Loke. The Lion Spirit's hold on his hand was firm. Gray cursed under his breath, unable to move his fist. Loke was stronger than him.

"Boys!" Erza spoke suddenly, her face darkening. The two teens shuddered, fearing the worst now. Loke was no exception, he flinched.

"This is neither the time nor the place to be fighting!" she scolded, sternly.

The teens paled, apologizing quickly, "sorry."

Instantly, the door opened. Lucy walked in talking, cheerful as usual, followed by the dark mage. "Elena has agreed to come! We can start…" She noticed the three mages standing up, looking tense. But what scared Lucy was Erza: she looked _really _angry. And then, she realized that Gray was shirtless again!

"Gray! Your shirt!" She screamed, embarrassed and afraid he might go all naked in front of the new mage!

The Ice mage blushed when he heard her. Looking quickly at the brunette, he noticed that she was checking him out unashamedly.

Thankfully, Lucy spoke, "let's start, guys!"

* * *

Elena watched them as they drank and laughed. The young mages were really happy tonight. She stood next to Gray, enjoying some delicious snack, aware of his curious glances. She poured herself some wine, as she hummed to the nice folklore music that was playing in the background. The music was coming from a device that was powered by lacrima. The dark mage watched the unfamiliar device in awe, tapping a long, black nail on the thin glass.

She was about to take a sip, when Lucy suddenly raised her glass for a toast.

"To our success!" she declared.

"To our success!" they repeated after her.

Sipping her drink slowly, Elena watched as Loke talked to Lucy. He was standing awfully close to her. And Lucy, from what she could see was blushing cutely. Elena's eyes followed Lucy's movement: she put her hand on her right hip, as she answered him. He backed off immediately, smiling sheepishly.

The others were drinking and laughing at Happy's hilarious dance. Elena decided it was time to ask the blonde about _the handsome guy_ and _the maid_ who for some unknown reason was not present tonight.

She walked up to Lucy, who was laughing at the funny face that the cat was making.

"'I'm having so much fun, Lucy," she said, running a hand through her wavy auburn hair.

"I'm glad", the blonde said happily.

"Say," she began, her eyes watching Loke for a minute before she nudged the blonde, "are you and Loke close?"

Lucy sweat dropped. She laughed nervously. "No, we are not! What makes you think so?!" she laughed more, horrified that a complete stranger was already making assumptions about her and her spirit.

Unconvinced, Elena pressed on, "but I've seen how he looks at you! You always blush when he is by your side! Even back in that room, he was protective! I thought he was courting you!" she took another sip, watching the blush that was coloring Lucy's cheeks.

"We are _very_ close!" said suddenly a very happy Loke. The two girls "eeped" shocked by his sudden appearance, as he stood next to his master, giving her a flirtatious smile.

"Loke!" Lucy snapped, embarrassed that her spirit had heard their conversation.

"Lucy dear, why so shy?!' he asked playfully, ignoring her outburst. Slipping an arm around her slim waist, he added, "Lucy and I share a special bond, Elena!"

Looking at the agitated blonde, Elena asked, genuinely curious, "a special bond?" she furrowed her brows, trying to understand him. "So, … you too are a couple then!" she concluded after a moment, wondering if she had deduced it well. _"They sure use strange wording for romance in this world! _But Lucy denied everything loudly, getting the others' attention now. "No, we're not! You got it all wrong!" she glared up at her spirit, who sighed dramatically removing his hand.

"What are you talking about?!" Natsu asked as he joined them. The other mages followed soon, curious now about Lucy's tremendous blush. The blonde wished she could change the subject. She didn't understand why people thought that they were dating. He was a spirit, she a human: two different beings that couldn't be together. There were already rumors about them in the guild much to Lucy's annoyance. Further, her Spirit wasn't helping at all, flirting constantly in front of everyone, and in the presence of the nosy Exceed.

As if on cue, the blue cat landed on Elena's shoulder. Eyes narrowing, he smiled lopsidedly, as if he almost knew what was going on.

"I was just asking Lucy about her relationship with Loke!" Elena answered him, ignoring Lucy's gasp.

Natsu looked at Lucy who was biting her lip for a moment before he smiled broadly, confusing the dark mage.

"Ah, that! Loke belongs to Lucy! She is his owner!" he explained.

"Owner?! I'm afraid I don't understand!" She didn't want to think of him a salve, for he didn't look or behave like one.

"Elena, Loke is my Celestial Spirit!" Lucy finally spoke, exasperated. Seeing her shocked face, she added," Loke is in fact Leo, the Lion, the Zodiac leader."

"And your knight in shining armor, princess!" The said spirit declared proudly.

Elena was speechless. The revelation was disturbing. She looked at him, studying his handsome features as he watched her intently.

"_I wasn't wrong about him, after all! But, I have never imagined that he was Leo! Leo the Lion on the physical plane! By Minos' horns, this is mind blowing!"_

Minutes went by, but the dark mage remained quiet, eyes focusing on Loke.

"Elena, are you alright?" Lucy asked, worried about her strange reaction. The new mage looked utterly shocked, as Lucy could see. She had found it extremely strange, considering that celestial magic was a common practice all over Earth land.

Getting a hold of herself, the dark mage finally replied, "yes, Lucy. Don't worry! It's the first time I've seen a _Celestial Spirit_! I was just shocked!"

"Don't you have a celestial mage in your guild?" Lucy asked.

The dark mage simply shook her head. "I have heard of celestial mages, but I have never run into one! I guess you're the first, Lucy!" she half lied, half told the truth.

"We were shocked too when we realized who he truly was," Gray reassured her.

"Ah, so you didn't know before?"

"No! But Lucy found out about him! And she became his key holder!" The cat said enthusiastically.

It was then that she noticed the keys for the first time. Golden and silver keys were hanging down from her key ring.

"And so, Lucy is your owner!" she said, watching the Spirit.

* * *

The following morning, the mages met with the Duke to collect their reward. Erza filled him in about the details of the mission, and the appearance of the foreign mage who had managed to get inside the chamber before them. As promised, Elena informed the Duke about her part in the quest.

The Duke was delighted with their "impressive work" as he called it. Soon, he handed each guild the same lump sum. The Fairies were surprised that the reward was not divided between the two guilds. Upon seeing their bewildered faces, the Duke explained that he thought it was fair to give each guild the same amount of the reward. The Fairies were very thankful, and so was Elena.

The dark mage then remembered her promise. She approached the Duke slowly. Standing before him, she said, "thank you, my Lord! Your generosity is most touching. I'm deeply moved!"

Holding her hand, the Duke replied, "My lady, your words are heartwarming!"

Elena smiled more. She battered her eyelashes at the overjoyed man. "Thank you for allowing me and the Fairy Tail mages to stay at your beautiful abode. I shall cherish the memory!"

"My lady, I would be delighted to have you visit us again!" he declared, flamboyantly.

Erza and Lucy "ohhed". They didn't expect him to be serious about her so soon. The boys were just watching the interaction between the two. Natsu in particular was curious about her answer.

Elena blushed slightly. She was a dark lord back in her world; she reigned over Tierra with an iron hand, spreading terror and darkness. But she was still a woman; she wasn't immune to flattery and declarations of love.

"I shall remember, my Lord," she said, smiling genuinely at the dashing Duke. She watched him as he planted a soft kiss on her hand. Lucy couldn't help but clasp her hands, at the romantic exchange.

"My Lord, if you allow me, I wish to make a humble request," she added after a moment, surprising everyone.

When he nodded, she went on, "my Lord, I am but a foreign mage from the distant kingdom of Pergrande who has been kindly welcomed into the Kingdom of Fiore, and in your city."

Encouraged by his growing smile, she added, "I wish to share my reward with the Fairy Tail's mages! They have been very kind to me all this time, welcoming me with so much warmth! I wish to return the favor to Miss Heartfilia and her friends, in the only way I can!"

The Duke was taken aback by her generosity. He had heard Lucy's gasp when she offered them her reward. He debated the matter for a moment, before he made up his mind. "As you wish my lady. I shall see to it!"

Lucy was quick to protest, "Elena, I can't accept your reward! You have worked hard for it too!"

"It's settled Lucy!" the dark mage said, facing her now. "I'd be very offended if you refused my gift to you all! I wish to thank you, and this is the least I can do!" she insisted.

"But!..." Lucy was about to protest more, when Erza put her hand on her arm, stopping her.

"We gladly accept your gift, Elena. Thank you for your generosity, my Lord," the Titania replied.

* * *

At the train station, the mages were now sitting on a bench, waiting for the next train to Magnolia. Elena thought about her mission, she knew that she was stuck in this world until she found a way to go back home. She also knew that she had much to learn now. The Priest's memories have proved to be useful. But she needed more! His memories and experiences weren't enough to understand this world. There were two sides to the coin, and so, she wanted to experience this world from these mages' perspective.

"So where are you going now, Elena?" Natsu asked, bringing her out of her deep thoughts.

"Magnolia! I wish to visit your city," she replied quickly.

"This is great!" Lucy chirped in, feeling excited.

"You should come with us to Fairy Tail, then! Master will be happy to meet you!" Natsu suggested.

Elena hesitated. "Oh?!"

"Yes, Master will definitely be interested into meeting you!" Erza said, crossing her legs.

"We can later show you around the city," Gray offered.

Elena considered their plan for a moment. These young mages were inviting her into their lives. It was too good an opportunity to miss.

"It's settled then. I'll go with you to Fairy Tail!"

* * *

**End of the 4th chappie :D**

**So, the dark mage is finally going to meet Makarov and the other Fairie :) **

**Thank you for reading. Don't forget to voice your opinion as usual ;)  
**

**You can find my illustrations on Deviantart:  
**

**fanart of Elena, the Empress on **** loudotd _dot _deviantart _dot _com**/art/Coloured-Elena-fanart-337424580

**A Lucy/Plue doujinshi (illustration of a scene from the first chapter) on loudotd _dot _deviantart _dot _com/art/Dark-Luv-The-Faited-Ones-Cover-338614608  
**

**Till next time**

**Lou.D**


	6. The Visitor

**Dark Luv**

by

**************Lou.D**  


**Summary **

Lucy Heartfilia questions her relationship with her spirits and Loke in particular, when a new mage shows up in her life.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Fairy Tail! I only own my fictional world, its magic and characters! But, I wouldn't mind having Loke, though ;)

* * *

**Chapter 5**

A group of white clad mages gathered near the main building. They had been investigating the place for two hours, following a recent order.

Two distinct men stood nearby watching the wrecked entrance. One of them was currently taking notes, as the second mage was speaking. "It seems that an incredible explosion has taken place here," he said, assessing the damaged building.

The other mage stopped writing and studied the other person's face. He realized that he was stunned by the sheer magnitude of destruction that surrounded them. He swallowed hard, before commenting, "definitely! The initial reports have indicated a brief, yet intense time-space distortion, followed by a quake!" he went quiet for a moment, before he spoke again. "What could have happened here?"

"It's not clear yet! But, the signs are foreboding! Ready the crystal!" he ordered.

"Yes, sir," the second mage replied.

* * *

Elena stared at the young mages who were talking about their friend, Natsu. The latter was asleep, lying next to her. She cast the Salamander a quick glance, noticing the sweat beads that were covering his forehead, and she frowned. Crossing her legs, she addressed the young mages who were now talking about their guild.

"Is Natsu ill?" she asked.

"Yes! He has motion sickness," Lucy explained.

The older mage then folded her arms, "I see!" Looking back at him, she asked again watching the shiver that was racking his body, "it must be very painful! Isn't there a cure?!"

Erza sighed. "There is none as far as we know! We use magic to heal him instead!" she added.

The foreign mage looked at her, surprised. "Oh, so you have a healer?" she asked curious to know more.

The Titania nodded. "We do," she said. "But, she is back in the guild. Natsu will have to endure his pain until we get off the train."

Elena leaned back into her seat thinking. She was looking forward to knowing more about the guild. Owing to the old man's memories, she knew that they were notorious for causing havoc wherever they set foot. A smirk graced her lips then. Still, she wondered why such a destructive guild wasn't disbanded yet. There were many possibilities; she only had to investigate the truth for herself.

Her eyes focused on Erza, the stern mage who was observing her in turn. Elena suspected that she still didn't trust her, even though she had invited her earlier to Fairy Tail. But, the dark mage wasn't bothered by the thought, for she had her own agenda.

Elena's eyes shifted to Lucy. Among these mages, she was the most intriguing one. She had access to celestial magic: spirit summoning. Her eyes narrowed at the golden keys.

Lucy who had been talking to Gray finally noticed her gaze. Unconsciously, her hand shifted to her belt, feeling the keys. Her eyes met Elena's and she was taken aback by their intensity: something stirred in the depths of those auburn eyes.

"Something's the matter?" the dark mage asked.

The young blonde jerked then, surprised. She laughed awkwardly after a moment, feeling embarrassed. "Sorry," she apologized. "I know it's rude to stare."

Gray who had been quiet observing the two spoke finally, "I'm going to buy coffee! Do you want me to bring you some?"

The blonde shook her head, "No. Thank you, Gray!"

"I'll go with you, too," Erza said rising from her seat. "Lucy, you look exhausted! You need coffee after all," the Titania decided, ignoring Lucy's pout. Facing the foreign mage, she asked, "how about you, Elena?"

"I would like some. Thank you both," she replied.

"We'll be back soon then," the Titania said. She followed Gray outside their cabin, closing the door behind her.

Lucy fidgeted in her seat. It was strange, but she was feeling tense. Elena's voice startled her once more, "they are right Lucy! You look pale!"

The young blonde sighed. "I'm just tired," she explained.

"You must be! It was a difficult mission after all!" she added, sympathizing with her.

Lucy nodded. "Yes, it was! We went through so many traps! At one point, I thought I wasn't going to make it!" she said, hugging herself.

"Can you tell me?" the dark mage coaxed, letting her curiosity surface again.

"We got trapped inside a sub-dimension that was already draining our magical powers," the Celestial Mage explained, shivering at the memory. "If it weren't for Virgo and Loke, we would have..." Lucy didn't finish; she gulped shivering more.

"What an evil guild!" Elena commented. When Lucy stared at her, she went on, "but, you were really lucky, Lucy!"

The young blonde didn't reply. She smiled weakly at the older girl, before she cast Natsu a quick glance.

"At any rate, I'm glad we're done with them! Now, you can enjoy your rewards," Elena said watching the young blonde's delighted face.

"I know! I can't wait to get back! I have so many things to buy!" Lucy said excitedly.

The dark mage smiled. Stretching her arms, her sight drifted to the keys once more. "You know, I really love starring at your keys! They are enchanting!"

The Celestial mage's eyes widened slightly at her words. She watched Elena intently, before she smiled again, "thanks!" She confessed after a moment," no one has ever told me that! I'm happy you think so!"

"Shame, really! I think Spirits are special!" She watched Lucy's face brighten more. "Speaking of which, how come," she leaned forward surprising Lucy, "you haven't summoned Leo yet?"

"Why would I do that?" Lucy wondered, blushing slightly at the smirking mage.

Elena shrugged, "well, I thought you would!" She leaned back lazily into her seat, watching the agitated girl with half lidded eyes. "Don't you have a special bond with him? Eh?" she asked.

The young blonde was blushing madly now. "I don't!" she denied quickly. Lucy didn't understand why she was persistent about the topic. "Loke likes to claim so! We only share a Master-Spirit bond, Elena!" She sighed suddenly. "Besides, he's my strongest spirit! That's why I summoned him back then. I needed his help," she explained again, hoping to clarify the misunderstanding.

"Oh, what a shame!" the auburn woman said. "You know," she began, "Leo seems to like you a lot! I think you too would make a great pair!" she finally said, ignoring her gasp.

Lucy then wanted to scream. Her face was a deeper shade of red. "Elena, can we please talk about something else?" she pleaded weakly.

"Okay, Lucy! I won't pester you more about it! I just think that you should give him a chance!" she laughed at the embarrassed girl.

* * *

The young mages finally arrived at the guild. Pushing the big wooden door, Natsu shouted announcing their arrival, "we're back!"

Mira looked up from her magazine to see the young team walk in, with a new face this time. "Welcome back," she greeted them, watching as the team was heading towards the bar.

"Hey Mira!" they greeted back in unison.

The Take-over mage smiled then. "How was your mission? And who is your guest?" she asked, curious as usual.

"It was different this time, but we got out reward. And that's Elena. She's a foreign mage we came across during the mission. I've invited her to Fairy Tail," Natsu said, stretching.

Mira observed the foreigner who was busy looking at the guild. "A foreigner?! We should welcome her, then!" she said clasping her hands.

They watched as Mira left the bar, and walked to Elena who seemed to have attracted other members' attention too. They were already gathering around her.

"Would you like to join us, lady?" Macao said, pointing to his table where his friend, Wakaba was waving to her.

She was about to reply, when a blonde mage spoke. "How about joining me and my friends, over there. We would love to show you around!" Max suggested proudly. His friends laughed, delighted at the prospect of having a voluptuous older girl drinking with them.

The dark mage smiled. There were too many requests; it was overwhelming.

"Will you join Fairy Tail?" Laki asked, pushing her glasses upward.

"No! I'm just a visitor. Natsu and the others invited me," she explained, finally getting a chance to speak.

"Hey, Natsu!" Macao shouted. When Natsu turned around to look at him, he winked, "you did it again, boy! Good job!"

Most fairies laughed then. Natsu smiled broadly. "Thanks, old man!" he shouted back.

Elena watched, curiously. Looking back at Natsu, she noticed Mira walking towards her.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Elena!" she said. "We are delighted to have you as our guest! I'm Mirajane," she introduced herself.

The dark mage smiled mysteriously. "Thank you, Mirajane. That's kind of you," she said extending her hand.

The white haired mage found it strange. Then, she remembered that she was a foreigner. She smiled more shaking hands with her. "Would you like some refreshment! You must be thirsty," she said.

Lucy heard the other Fairies' loud complaints. She turned around and watched the commotion with interest. "Seems like they like her already!" she stated rather loudly.

"They are curious about her, Lucy," Gray replied coolly.

Erza and Lucy exchanged glances. "I guess, they are!" Erza said. She stood up, intending to leave when she heard the Salamander.

"Where to, Erza?!" he questioned.

"Off to see Master! I need to inform him about the mission and―" she was cut short by Mira who appeared by her side.

"Master isn't here today. He's in a meeting with the other guild masters," she informed them.

Elena sat on a tool, listening attentively.

"I wasn't aware of this meeting! I'm surprised,' Erza remarked.

"Well, it is a sudden one. We received a message from the Council. He didn't mention much, but he said that it was an urgent matter," Mira added, moving behind the bar table.

"I see," the Titania said absentmindedly. Her mind was filled with questions.

"This isn't like him at all," Gray commented, sharing Erza's opinion.

"No worries. I'm sure he'll tell us everything when he comes back. All I can think about now is food! I'm starving," he stated, rubbing his tummy.

"Aye! Me too," Happy chirped, drooling already.

"Don't tell me you're going to crush at my apartment!" Lucy questioned, dreading his answer.

Natsu's smile became toothier, "old habits die hard, Lucy!" he started laughing at the young mage's saucer eyes.

Elena watched their interaction. The young mages were simply full of life and joy; something that she missed greatly.

Mirajane then served them refreshment. The dark mage sipped her lemon juice quietly, listening to Natsu telling Mira and the other members who'd decided to join them about the mission. When he mentioned her teleportation skills, everyone gasped. The dark mage grimaced: she hadn't expected him to reveal _that_ about her so soon. She was about to leave, when Mira's words surprised her. The white haired beauty had commented that a few members in their guild could do the same magic too. She gestured with her hand and the auburn haired turned around slowly to see Laxus and Freed walking inside the guild.

"So, which one of them can do it too?" she asked, eyes focusing more on Freed.

'Laxus, the big guy. The other mage is Freed! He's a Runes mage," Max said.

"And a dark mage too!" Mirajane added.

"Really, I didn't know that!" Lucy said, shocked. "So, he's like you, Mira" she added awed.

Elena was deep in thought. _"So, Black magic isn't forbidden here! This world is more interesting than I had originally thought!" _She put her glass on the bar table. _"And they know Runes too! Other similarities may exist then!"_

Taking her eyes off Freed, who was watching her now, she stood up much to everyone's surprise. "Thank you all for the nice welcome. I very much appreciate it."

"Are you leaving already?" Mirajane asked, surprised.

Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer.

"Well, I'm slightly tired. And, I need to find a place! But," she smiled watching the patient fairies, "I will return later on for more drink and talk!"

* * *

It was still warm outside when she left the guild. She walked around the town sightseeing with Natsu. He had offered to tour her around with Happy and she accepted. The dark mage enjoyed their walk around the city. She noticed a magic shop and asked Natsu if they could visit it. Natsu agreed at once, following her inside.

As a token of gratitude, Elena invited the young dragon slayer and the Exceed to a fancy restaurant. Once seated, they wasted no time ordering all the delicious dishes, and the delicacies on the menu. Elena sat there facing them, shocked at the incredible noise they were making.

When they were done eating, she took her time to ask more about the guild and Fiore. She was also very careful, for she didn't want to arouse suspicions.

The Salamander, being as kind as he was, filled her in about everything. Happy however didn't take part; he listened to their conversation with great interest.

* * *

The Dark mage was lying on her bed, reading a book on the history of Fiore, when she sensed new magical auras. Elena stood up, quickly. She knew that she was the only mage in the hotel. And, she didn't recognize the comers: they were definitely new mages who were approaching her room fast.

"Seems like I have visitors," she mused to herself. Elena knew that she could take out these mages easily, but fight wasn't the smartest thing to do in this case. She stood there, near the bed, waiting for the strangers to arrive. Minutes ticked by, before she heard steps in the quiet corridor. Stopping finally at her door, Elena waited anxiously for their next move. Suddenly, a light knock was heard. When she didn't respond, a second one followed. She waited this time for them to leave. However, their next move took her by surprise. Slowly, she watched as her door was being unlocked. Her eyes dilated in anticipation, as magic twirled around her fingers.

* * *

Meanwhile, Laxus was sitting on his couch on the second floor. Eyes closed, he tried to relax a bit, but the guild was as noisy as ever with Natsu and Gray brawling downstairs. Laxus cursed for the fifth time, getting very annoyed with their loud screams. His eyebrow twitched when a table got wrecked, followed by Gray's loud shriek.

Suddenly, Natsu's scream was heard too. Laxus popped an eye open to see Erza dusting her hands off, while a pale Natsu was laying on the floor twitching in pain. He smiled evilly at the scene. He noticed then Mirajane talking to Erza. When they both looked up at him, Laxus knew that something was up.

* * *

Inside the Master's room, the two S-Class mages were waiting for Mira to return. They had gathered a moment ago inside the room, following her request. It wasn't long after that the Take Over mage arrived.

Mira didn't waste a moment; she began immediately explaining everything. The Master wanted to talk to them solely. In an earlier transmission, he had asked Mirajane to gather the S-Class mages within an hour's time for an important message.

Laxus didn't say a word; he listened to her, eyes closed. Erza glanced at him before asking, "it must be a very important matter!"

Mira nodded. "Yes, it is! He looked really anxious," she said. "What do you think Laxus?"

The Thunder dragon slayer stared at her then. "Same opinion. Something's troubling the old man!" he replied, unfazed by Erza's glare at the rude nickname.

The lacrhyma crystal then shone in a green light. The three S-Class mages looked in time before a clear image appeared on the big globe.

"Master," the two girls greeted the old man. Laxus just stared at his grandfather with a blank expression.

"Thank you for gathering my children, " he said. Looking at his young mages, he continued, "I have summoned you today to inform you about the urgent meeting. As you know, I have been summoned by the Council for an urgent matter, regarding a recent event. Sadly, I cannot give you the full details, yet. "

Erza spoke then, "when will you be back, Master?"

"Not today, Erza. I'm afraid the meeting might extend for another day. In the meantime, I ask the three of you to look after Fairy Tail," he said.

The two girls nodded, while Laxus folded his arms.

Makarov took his gesture as a sign of acceptance. He went on, "good. Then, I shall be keeping in touch with you. Erza, keep Natsu and Gray in check for me, will you?!"

"I will, Master!" she replied, confidently.

"Thank you. Well, do you have anything to inform me about before the transmission is over? The meeting will resume shortly!"

Mira spoke then. "Yes. A foreign mage is visiting the guild. She arrived today with Erza. And, she will be staying in Magnolia for a few days."

Makarov was intrigued. "A foreigner?! Where is she from, Erza?"

"Pergrande, Master. We have met her during our last mission."

Mira gasped, while Laxus seemed shocked.

Makarov's bushy eyebrows rose in surprise. "Pergrande?! This is unusual!"

"Indeed, Master! But, we found out later on that the client had been recruiting many wizards from all over the land!"

The other S mages listened intently, curious to know the reason.

"Hmm. Very unusual! Who was the client this time?" he asked.

"The Duke of Berucia," Mira replied quickly.

At the mention of the city's name, Makarov's eyes widened. Furrowing his eyebrows, he went on asking, "you don't mean the Twins Cult mission, do you?!"

When both girls nodded, Makarov gaped. "Tell me everything, Erza!" he ordered.

* * *

**End of chapter 5**

**Thank you for reading. **** Don't forget to review :)**

**Lou.D**


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